Semi-Virtual Dynamic Tests of Hybrid Systems Coupling Solar Thermal and PV Panels with Heat Pumps

Abstract

Considering the huge world’s energy demand associated with heating and cooling (H&C), the share of installed renewable H&C solutions was still around 10% in 2018. In order to speed up a transition towards the widespread application of renewable H&C in buildings, innovative solutions must be designed to outperform traditional solutions by saving non-renewable energy. SunHorizon project is contributing to this effort by demonstrating optimized design and combination of commercial innovative solar (thermal or/and PV) and Heat Pumps (HP) technologies. In particular this paper aims to demonstrate how to evaluate experimentally two hybrid concepts, out of four in the whole project, that are coupling solar thermal and PV panels with heat pumps to satisfy thermal and electricity energy demand of residential buildings in Riga (Latvia) and Piera (Spain). Relying on the hardware-in-the-loop approach called TYPSS, specific short test sequences (TS) are created for each of the two Technology Packages (TP) that allow for extrapolation of the measurements to annual seasonal performance figures including electricity self-consumption, renewable heating and cooling indicators. Both hybrid systems reached experimentally 40% renewable energy ratios. m3 cold/hot thermal storage tanks and 15kW SMart Electric heater (SmE) from PV electricity excess by Ratiotherm. The heat from hybrid PVT panels flows either to cold glycol tank or hot buffer tank, according to the coldest tank. The Boosheat unit is activated complementary to grant the supply of SH and DHW at the desired temperature. The evaporator is connected to the hottest heat source from outdoor air coil or mitigated glycol tank. The extra PV electricity produced by the hybrid PVT panels compared to building electricity balance is stored as heat into the buffer tank until 85°C temperature is achieved, then fed into the grid. The complexity is increased in this case by mixing components and controls from several manufacturers into new concept assembly for several demo sites and by mixing non-renewable gas and electricity consumptions to operate them. The HS2 system was integrated in simulation in Riga (Latvia) demonstration context: 108 m² residential house with 3 people living in, 13.3 MWh SH supplied by radiators and heating floor circuits, 1.6 MWh DHW, electricity consumption 7.2 MWh. The estimation of annual GreenHouse Gas emissions savings (fsav,GHG) through HS2 is 51% compared to the existing gas boiler.